Race Board Grants Hearing to Redding and Dollase

In an apparent attempt to keep the issue out of the legal system, the California Horse Racing Board has granted owner Jheri Redding and trainer Wallace Dollase a new hearing in the ongoing Del Mar Derby saga.

Redding’s 3-year-old Itsallgreektome, who in his most recent race ran second in the Breeders’ Cup Mile Saturday, had been awarded the victory in the $300,000 Derby on Aug. 19 when the Del Mar stewards disqualified first-place finisher Tight Spot for interference.

On the appeal of Tight Spot’s owners, that decision was reversed by hearing officer Steven Schwartz on Sept. 27. Tight Spot was reinstated as the winner and Itsallgreektome was relegated to second place.

Redding at first was turned down by the CHRB in his request for a re-hearing and subsequently filed suit in Superior Court. Last Friday, after meeting in executive session, the CHRB flip-flopped and decided to reopen the case.

“All my clients ever wanted was an opportunity to present their side of it,” said Donald Calabria, Redding’s attorney. “We’ll certainly put on some evidence that it wasn’t in the best interests of racing to overturn a judgment call by the stewards.”